Self-propelled tube



SELF-PROPELLED TUBE Filed Feb. 9, 1956 William-E. Doug/raday, Jr.

INVENTOR.

' Q BY United States Patent SELF-PROPELLED 3 WilliamE. Daughaday,Jr-,Baltimore, Md. ApplicationFebruary 9,1956; S erial No. 564,436 Glaims.--(Cl- ;12 8 ,-3.49.)

This invention generallyrelates to a tube and' more specificallyprovides a tube which is self=propelled for entry into and exit outof-various lumina to facilitate drainage of, such lumina or. positioningof materials at' adesired point in the lumina as well as for many otherpurposes towhich the 'devi'cewill readily adapt itself;

Anyobject of the present invention is to provide a tube which isself-propelled in a stepeby-step operation which operation may becontrolled from a remote point to permit the tube to proceed into and"be extracted from various lumina whereby the device lends itself'torapid access to such lumina. and accurate movement and. positioning ofthe device so that'the proper lumina maybe enteredfor treatment or otherpurposes.

The specific embodiment of the present invention. is. in the form of aself-propelled catheter or tubular memher which includes in itsconstruction longitudinally spaced laterally expandingf elements inconjunction with longitudinally extendingand'retracting elements betweenthe laterally expanding elements together with control means forsequentially expanding and contracting the laterally expanding,elements. and sequentially extending and retracting the longitudinallyextendingand' retracting elements to propel the catheter in eitherlongitudinal direction'in a step-by-step manner.

Other objects of the present invention. will reside in its simplicity ofconstruction, ease. of operation, its adaptation for its varied'purposesand its relatively inexpensive manufacturing cost.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequentially apparent reside in the details of construction-andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals. refer to like parts throughout, and. in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the self propelled tube of the presentinvention in the form of a catheter;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal, vertical sectional view taken substantiallyupon the plane passing through the longitudinal center of the head ofthe catheter together with a portion of the actuating means therefor;

Figure 3 is a transverse, vertical sectional view taken substantiallyupon a plane passing along section line 3-3 of Figure 2 illustrating thedetails of construction of the proximal expandable element;

Figure 4 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially upon a planepassing along section line 4-4 of Figure 2 illustrating the details ofthe distal expandable element; and

Figure 5 is a schematic illustration of means for controlling theself-propelled catheter either manually or by a power motor.

The specification is limited to a description of the invention in theform of a catheter which is propelled by air pressure through thevarious body lumina. However, it will be understood that the presentinvention en- Patented Oct. 14, 1958 compasses a self-propelledelongated flexible member preferably rod-like or tubular inCQBStTUCtiOIIWlllGh'IIIfiY be propelled in any tubularor' hollow body bythe employment ofany suitable fluid pressure or mechanical actuatingmeans andthe terms; employed in the specificaa tion are for the purposesof description of the illustrated form of the invention and are not tobe construed as limiting the scope thereof; I

Referring now specifically to the drawing, the numeral 10 generallydesignates the" self propel'l'ed' catheter of the present inventionwhich includes a generally elongated tubular member 12 terminating in arounded end 14 which is provided with a, plurality of laterallydisposedf openings 16 disposed in the side wall thereof to" permit.drainage of material inwardly therethroufgh or'topermit the dischargeofmaterial' outwardly therefrom dependent upon the use of the catheter.

Adjacent the rounded end 14 of the tubular member 12 is provided anactuated step-by-step mechanism gen: erally designated by the numeral18' for propelling the catheter in a manner described hereinafter.

The propelling mechanism 18 includes an integrally formedcircumferential sleeve 20 which is expandable and connected to the tube12" in airtight relationship whereby the admission of a pressurizedfluid such as air into the annular pocket 22' formed by the sleeve 20will expand the sleeve 20; circumferentially'. of the tube 12 forbring,- ing the outer surface of the sleeve 20 into contacting relat e ad. clamp ng eng g ment w h h nner snrfaqe of a body passageway or.lumen.

Disposed proximal to the sleeve, 20is a second sleeve 2.4 ofsubstantially identical construction for providing an annular pocket 26for receiving pressurized air where} by the rearmostsleeve 24' may bebrought into clamping engagement with the inner peripheral surface of abody passageway or cavity.

Disposed at the distal end of the sleeve 24 and at the proximal end ofthe sleeve 20 is an annular flexible and stretchable element 28 forminga portion of the. tube 12 wherein the longitudinally aligned portions ofthe tube 12 may be. moved in relation to each other to a limited extent.i

At the end of the proximal portion of the tubular member 12 and thedistal end of the sleeve 24 a cylinder 30 is provided with alongitudinal. enlarged passage 34 slidably receiving a piston 36 whichhas an. enlarged outer end 33 in engagement with the inner surface ofthe distal portion of the tubular member .12 whereby. ad; vancement ofthe piston 36 and subsequent. advancement of the cylinder 30 byselectively admitting. and exhausting pressurized air or fluid betweenthe .cylinder 'zQi and the piston 38 will cause outward or inwardrelative movement of the portions of the tubular member 12 and flexingof the annular flexible member 28.

The piston 38 is provided with a longitudinal passage 40 receiving atube 42 extending through the tubular member 12 and communicating withthe pocket 22 for inflating and deflating the sleeve 20. A tube 44 isprovided within the tubular member 12 and communicates with the pocket26 for selectively inflating and deflating the sleeve 24. The cylinder30 is provided with a longitudinal end passageway 46 on which isattached a tubular member 48. The tubes 42, 44 and 48 extend and branchoutwardly from the tubular member 12 for attachment to suitable airpressure members. As illustrated, the tubes 42, 44 and 48 are eachattached to a cylinder 50 having a piston-type plunger 52 slidablymounted therein together with finger grips 54 on the cylinder 5d and afinger grip 56 on the piston 52 wherein movement of the piston 52 willselectively force pressure between the piston 38 and the cylinder 30 forextending C) and retracting the piston 36 in relation to the cylinder 30for moving the portions of the tubular member 12 longitudinally of eachother.

In operation, air orfluid may be forced into the pocket 22 after therounded end 14 and the adjacent area of the tubular member 12 has, beeninserted into a lumen beyond sleeve 24 whereby the sleeve 20 will expandand grip the lumen. With the sleeve 20 being held in a locked relationto the lumen, air is exhausted from between the piston 38 and thecylinder 30 for moving the cylinder 30 and the portion of the tube 12attached thereto towards the rounded end 14 of the tubular member 12.After the cylinder 30 has moved as far as possible towards the piston38, and locked in this position, air is forced into the pocket 26 forexpanding the sleeve 24 against the inner surface of the lumen afterwhich the air in the pocket 22 is evacuated to permit contraction of thesleeve 20 after which pressurized air is forced between the cylinder 30and the piston 38 for expanding the piston 38 and driving the roundedend 14 of the tubular member 12 longitudinally forwardly inasmuch as thesleeve 24 is anchored. By sequentially expanding the sleeves 20 and 24with properly timed and associated extension and retraction of thepiston 38, the catheter may be advanced in either direction from a pointremote from the rounded end 14 thereof.

Figure 5 illustrates an electric motor 58 having a cam shaft 60extending therefrom for operating valves 62 for controlling fluidpressure from supply lines 64 to discharge line 66 which are connectedto selective tubes 42, 44 and 48. One of the lines 64 is communicatedwith a source of a vacuum for selective communication with the areabetween the piston and cylinder through tube 48 for retraction of thepiston 38. If desired, a hand crank 68 may be provided for operating thedevice by hand rather than by motor 58. By reversing the rotation of thecam shaft 60, the direction of movement of the catheter 10 may bereversed and withdrawn from the body passage in a very easy manner. Thepassageways or openings 16 permit fluids to be drained from the bodypassageways as desired or may be employed for administering materialsuch as liquids to a desired point in the body passageways or lumina.

The device may be constructed of any suitable material such as rubber orplastics and may be constructed in extremely small sizes for entry andexit through any size lumina. The device may be employed and constructedof such a size to be employed for entering through the mouth downwardlythrough the esophagus into the stomach to permit easy pumping thereof orthe bowel may be relieved of gas by applying a vacuum to the tubularmember 12. The uses of the above device are substantially limitless inthe treatment of various ailments and in many and varied uses in thefield of medicine.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A catheter comprising a generally elongated tubular member having aclosed end for insertion into a passageway, said tubular member havingat least one opening to communicate the interior of the tubular memberwith the passageway, and step-by-step driving means for moving thetubular member in the passageway, said driving means including astretchable element in said tubular member to permit relativelongitudinal movement between adjacent portions of said tubular member,means forwardly of the stretchable element for clamping the passageway,means rearwardly of the stretchable element for clamping the passageway,means between the clamping means for sequentially extending andretracting said stretchable element thereby driving the tubular memberlongitudinally of the passageway.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said clamping means includes anexpandable resilient sleeve sealed to the tubular member, and means forregulating the inflation and deflation of the sleeves in timed relationto the means for extending and retracting the stretchable element.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said last named means includes apiston and cylinder arrangement disposed centrally in said tubularmember with the cylinder being attached to the tubular member on oneside of said stretchable member with the piston attached to the tubularmember on the opposite side.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said clamping means includes anexpandable resilient sleeve sealed to the tubular member, and means forregulating the inflation and deflation of the sleeves in timed relationto the means for extending and retracting the stretchable element.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said clamping means and piston andcylinder arrangement is communicated with air pressure supply, and camoperated means for operating the clamping means and arrangement inpredetermined order for propelling the catheter forwardly or rearwardly.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,128,746 -Bierce Feb. 16, 1915 2,458,305 Sanders Jan. 4, 1949 2,610,626Edwards Sept. 16, 1952 2,687,131 Raiche Aug. 24, 1954 2,727,722 ConboyDec. 20, 1955

